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Like it or not, Jameis Winston will shoulder the blame for a disappointing season

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You may not like hearing the repeated calls for Jameis Winston’s job after every poor performance, but at 3-7 and on track for another disappointing season, the Buccaneers quarterback will ultimately be the one who shoulders the blame for the team’s failure.

Like it or not.

Winston entered the league with great promise after the Bucs took him first overall in the 2015 draft. A former Heisman Trophy winner and national champion, Winston had all the hallmarks of a franchise quarterback.

The question was never about his talent on the field, more about his behavior off of it. A rash of incidences made some teams wary of the Florida State quarterback, but the Bucs felt confident enough in him to hand over the keys to the franchise. Fast forward nearly five years later, and the team seems no better off now than then.

Tampa Bay has yet to make the playoffs with Winston during that time, and let’s not forget the ugly off-the-field incident involving Winston and an Uber driver in 2016 and the subsequent three-game suspension that resulted from it.

Winston has shown flashes of brilliance at times in Tampa Bay, but for whatever reason, he hasn’t been able to put it together consistently. You can blame the offensive line and coaches all you want, but when a team struggles in the NFL, the quarterback is always the one put under the microscope.

Whatever your opinion of Winston may be, there’s no denying the facts. And, unfortunately, when it comes to Winston this season, the stats are pretty troublesome.

Take a look.

Jameis Winston has 18 interceptions in his first 10 games this season, tying his career high for a single season.

Winston's 18 INT are the most by a player through their team's first 10 games since Jay Cutler in 2009 (18).#NOvsTB | #Buccaneers

Bucs' Jameis Winston has 13 interceptions in his last five games — that's the most in any five-game span by any QB in the NFL since 2010, when Peyton Manning had 13. Last time a QB had more in any five-game span was in 1998, when Craig Whelihan had 17.

Saints had four INTs in nine games all season before getting four off Jameis Winston today. Cardinals had two INTs in nine games all season before getting two off Winston last week. Teams are getting takeaways against the Bucs that they aren't getting against anyone else.

Remember, too, that back in Week 1 Winston threw three interceptions against the San Francisco 49ers, who had just two interceptions all of 2018.

While two of the interceptions today from Winston came on wild plays, it doesn’t change the fact he can’t protect the ball. It’s been an issue throughout his entire NFL career. A team should be able to overcome a mistake by their quarterback, but when it’s happening every single game and at the rate it has been for Winston and the Bucs, it needs to be addressed.

Tampa Bay will take to the road again next week to face the suddenly red-hot Atlanta Falcons, who beat the Carolina Panthers on the road today one week after upsetting the Saints in New Orleans.

Atlanta’s win today coupled with the Bucs’ loss means Tampa Bay is now in last place in the NFC South. A Bucs win next week on the road would go a long way in building up this team’s confidence heading down the stretch.

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers stumbled down the stretch last season, losing their final two games to finish 7-9. Jameis Winston's struggles in December sealed his fate, and the Bucs opted to part ways with the former number one overall pick and instead hand the keys of the franchise over to six-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady.

Stumbling isn't a word usually associated with the future Hall of Famer, and for good reason. Brady has been a machine over the course of his illustrious career, and Tampa Bay is hoping his winning ways will continue in the Sunshine State.